Installing the Client

The Client software will be installed on each computer that operates the program.

Initial Install

Place the CD ROM disk in the drive on the workstation.  When the program starts select Install Auto Shop Writer 8, and then select the second menu option, Auto Shop Writer Client.  Follow the instructions provided by the installation program.

When you start the program the first time, it needs a path to the data on the server.  Use the displayed browse capability to find the ASW9s folder on the server.  DO NOT select a subfolder.  Double click on the ASW8s folder icon so it displays open.  Then select OK and you will be able to sign in.

If you make a mistake, reset the path as described in the section below.

DO NOT run an uninstall and reinstall if you have a problem.  Email Support@MasterLinkSoftware.com.  Doing an uninstall will not fix the problem and making internal changes may just increase the problem.

Updating ASW 9 from the CD

If you have a version less than 9.0 installed on your system, you must first go to the Windows Control Panel and remove the previous version of ASW, and then delete the ASW8c folder on the workstation.  Then you can perform the install of ASW 9.

You only need to run the Auto Shop Writer Client install from the CD if you are performing an upgrade.  When entering the program, check the Help - About menu option  and make sure the version is equal to, or higher than, that noted on the CD.

If the version is not the same, or higher, then your computer did not overwrite the current files with the latest version.  Exit ASW 9.  Use the computers Start button, and when the menu appears select Control Panel, and then Add/Remove Programs.  Find the ASW 8 Client installation and click on the Remove button.  DO NOT do anything else to remove files ... only this uninstall.  Then reinstall from the disk.

Setting the Path to your Data

Your "client" software needs to know where the data resides.  When you start the program for the first time, you will be shown a browse window, and you simply need to find the ASW9s folder on the server, highlight it, and click the OK button.  It will store the path in the computer registry and every time you start the ASW9.exe program, it will know where to turn for the data.

The path is stored in the CONFIG.CBA file in the ASW8c workstation.  You can open this file with Notebook ( a Windows program ) and edit the path value.  You can also delete this file and then re-enter the client program ( ASW9.exe.).  You will be prompted for the path.

Setting the Server Type

You will be prompted for the server type.  If this machine is not connected to a computer running the Advantage Database Server, you are running in LOCAL server mode.  If ADS is installed, you should select CLIENT SERVER, or if this machine will normally connect via the internet, select that option.  Internet machines can be plugged into a network and connect successfully to the ADS server.  You cannot access the program via the internet unless ADS is operational.

If you try to start ASW8, and an error box pops up noting CONFIG.DBF ( 2)  cannot be found, then your path is incorrect.  Reboot your computer in case it lost its connection to the server.  If this fails, then you probably have fouled the path value saved in the registry and it will need to be reset.